Clam Harvester Arrested in 2012 for Unpaid Fines from 2003, Clears Debt

February 6, 2013

Duncan, B.C. – A commercial clam harvester, convicted in 2003 for buying and selling illegally caught clams, has paid the outstanding portion of a fine levied against him for violating the Fisheries Act.

In November 2003, Mr. Hai Phuoc Nguyen, a lower mainland resident, was found guilty of buying illegal clams in the Ladysmith area and then selling them in Richmond, British Columbia.

He was ordered by the Crown to pay a total of $60,000, including $10,000 in fines and $50,000 to Fisheries and Oceans Canada to help promote the proper management and control of clam fisheries, and the conservation and protection of clams or clam habitat

Mr. Nguyen subsequently paid $40,000 of the fine, but failed to pay the balance, and an order was made for his arrest.
 
In June 2012, Mr. Nguyenwas apprehended by Canada Border Services Agency officers after disembarking from a flight from Vietnam and transported to Duncan Provincial Court by officers from Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

He was released on bail subject to a number of conditions that included he surrender his passport and report to a probation office in Duncan, British Columbia, twice per week. In July 2012, Mr. Nguyen paid $10,000 of his outstanding fine. He paid the final amount of $10,000 earlier this month.

To report suspicious fishing activity or habitat violations, please contact the nearest Fisheries and Oceans Canada office, or call the toll-free violation reporting line at 1-800-465-4336.

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For more information:

Leri Davies, Strategic Media Relations Advisor
Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Region
(604) 666-8675

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